Foundation garment



5 H. GOLDBERG FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed July 51, 19% 2 Sheets-Sheet l p13 9 l 9 U H G 0 LD B E R G FOUNDATION GARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31., 1948 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNDATION GARMENT Hermine Goldberg, Omaha, Nebn, assignor of one-half to Ralph D. Goldberg, Omaha, Nebr.

Application July 31, 1948, Serial No. 41,820

1 Claims.

This invention relates to a garment which is truly of the foundation type, that is the main portion of the garment is a foundation for all articles of wearing apparel with the exception of the outer dress.

One object of the invention is to provide a foundation garment which has provisions for attaching either shoulder extensions or shoulder pads, incorporates a brassire in its construction, includes a tail" that takes the place of panties, includes garters and has provisions for attaching a shadow skirt to the body of the garment, the shadow skirt taking the place of a slip.

Another object is to provide the shoulder extensions or shoulder pads interchangeably attached to the shoulders of the body of the garment so that either the extensions or the pads can be used, or both can be left 011 the garment as desired.

Still another object is to provide the brassiere portion of the garment with a special stiffening material which uplifts better and has a resiliency not found in other materials, such as crinoline, canvas, etc. ordinarily used for this purpose.

A further object is to provide the tail portion of the garment with tabs to which sanitary napkins can be readily attached and to provide a permanently installed rubber or plastic lining for the portion of the tail which is most likely to be soiled.

Still a further object is to provide for attaching a shadow skirt around the waist of the garment, thus eliminating the necessity of wearing a slip, the shadow skirt, of course, being readily removable when not needed.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my foundation garment whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of a foundation garment embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a three-quarter perspective view thereof.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the garment.

Figure 4 is an enlarged inside elevation of the rear tail of the garment.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showlug the inside of the front tail of the garment, and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the 2 shoulder pads used in connection with my foundation garment.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference character B to indicate in general the body or torso-covering portion of my foundation garment. The garment may be considered as having four vertical sections In, I2, l4 and IS. The section Ill includes a neck opening l8 and arm openings 20. The section I2 includes the necessary elements to incorporate a brassiere into the construction of the garment, the main element of the brassiere construction being stiffeners 22 in the form of one or more layers of felt stiffened by stitching 24 and covered with suitable fabric 23. The stiffeners are of the desirable shape for forming a so-called uplift brassiere. One thickness of felt is suflicient for breasts of normal size or smaller and two thicknesses are used for breasts that are very large or heavy. The stiffness is secured by the stitching 24, the felt and stitching together forming a stiffened cloth in the manner fully disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 14,689, filed March 13, 1948, now Patent No. 2,498,007, dated February 21, 1950.

The portion l4 of the body B is the waist portion and the portion i6 is for covering the hips and supporting a tail 26 which is preferably detachably secured to the back of the body B by means of a zipper type fastener 29. The lower end of the front of the portion it of the body B terminates in a second tail portion 30 which may be termed the front tail as distinguished from the portion 28 which is a rear tail. The two are connected together by co-acting snap fastener elements 3| and 33. Preferably a series of the elements 3| is provided as shown particularly in Figure 4 for securing some adjustment. The front tail 30 is stitched at 28 to make it hold its shape better.

The body B of the foundation garment is made of suitable mesh, cloth or elastic fabrics with vertical reinforcing strips 32 and 34 in front, 36 at the right side, 38 at the left side including a zipper 40 and strips 42 and 44 in the back. Attached at 47 to the lower ends of the strips 34 are front garters 46 and attached at 49 to the lower ends of the strips 44 are rear garters 48.

Along the shoulders of the body B are snap fastener elements 50, and I provide shoulder extensions 52 (see right shoulder in Figure 1 and dotted on left shoulder) having co-acting fastener elements 54 for detachable connection therewith. I also provide shoulder pads 58 (see left shoulder in Figure 1 and dotted on right shoulder) having co-acting snap fasteners '56 corresponding to the fa"teners 54 so that either the shoulder extensions 62 or the shoulder pads 56 may be used to suit the occasion, or neither need be used in those instances Where a dress has its own shoulder pads.

Referring further to the tall 26, it is provided with transverse stiffeners 60 or is boned." The elements 60 are preferably made of a composition similar in stiffness to cardboard but not affected by laundering. Rigid st ffening is necessary at this point to prevent the tall from shifting or catching in the crease of the buttocks.

A reinforcing strip 63 of suitable fabric crosses the rear tail 26 and secures a tab 65 in position by suitable stitching, the tab being used for pinning or fastening one end of'a catamenial napkin thereto. The front tall 36 has a similar reinforcing strip 63' and a tab 65 for the other end of the catamenial napk n. Between the two tabs 9. rubberized or plastic strip 68 is provided suitably secured as by stitching to the tall 26.

Around the waist of the body B of the foundation garment snap fastener elements 68 are provided with which co-acting snap fastener elements ID of a shadow skirt 12 may be associated as in Figure 1. A portion of the skirt has been cut away to show the construction of the foundation garment and another section of the skirt i shown in section. The skirt laps over in front and snaps on both reinforcement strips 34 which extend down from the brassiere. This forms the placket for getting into and out of the skirt.

The forego ng described garment and its variout accessories may all be worn together, or different parts may be worn separately as desired. The result is a complete foundation garment eliminating the necessity of all other garments except an outer dress.

Many of the garments now conventionally worn may be eliminated with my construction. By way of example, the tail takes the place of panties and a single pair of shoulder and/or extens on pads eliminate the necessity of having these elements (a pair for each dress worn) attached in the shoulders of the various dresses. The shadow skirt eliminates the necessity of wearing a slip and the tail is so constructed that catamenial napkins may be supported thereby w thout the necessity of any other accessory for supporting purposes. My arrangement also cuts down the number of garments that have to be purchased and maintained.

By incorporating all the necessary elements of a foundation garment in a single one as I disclose, a number of advantages are obtained as follows:

1. Dressing time is cut down and there is much greater ease in assembling the various elements requ red under a dress.

2. Any clothes worn over my foundation garment look much better and everything fits into its place correctly, thus mak ng them more beautiful and more comfortable to wear.

3. The cost to the wearer is much less by buying one garment than by buying many different ones some of which would be from one manufacturer and others from other manufacturers with the result that none of the garments match properly or fit properly together as when made as a complete assembly in accordance with my invention.

4. The removable parts, such as shoulder extensions, s'houlder pads, shadow sk rts, etc. can be bought se arately and replaced when worn out, or when other colors or styles are required to harmonize with a particular dress that is being worn.

5. When traveling the single garment will take up much less room than the individual garments which would be required to take its place. This is an advantage in the home also.

6. The whole ensemble weighs considerably less than a number of garments assembled individual- 1y, thus making for greater comfort.

As to the various elements of the garment, each has its particular advantage. The brassiere, depending for its uplift on felt which has been st tched is much more comfortable than those that depend upon very stiff stiffenings without res liency such as crinoline, canvas, etc., or wires and bones, and limp ones which depend for their uplift on straps pulled tightly over the shoulders. All of these are extremely uncomfortable to wear and they do not look or feel as much like the natural self as one which uses stitch-stiffened felt as a base. Then too, the stitched felt retains its stiffness through repeated washings while many of the other stiffeners such as canvas, crinoline, etc. become limp, giving no support thereafter.

Since the brassiere portion of the garment is built entirely into the body portion, the brassiere is always in proper location and properly supported as well as reinforced, particularly by the reinforcing strips 36. I have found that stitched felt retains its resiliency, its shape and its stiffness no matter how many times laundered and it doesn't stretch or shrink and does not need to be ironed after laundering. All of these features contribute to the desirability of a, foundation garment including as a part thereof a brassiere of the character described.

The tall 26 comes from the back of the garment and through between the legs, and then ,0 fastens low in front by means of the snaps 3 l-33.

By having a series of the snaps 8 I, it is adjustable for women with short or long torsos. The inner construction of the tail includes one layer of stitch-stiffened felt 62, as described at 22-44 for the brassiere, to give a certain degree of overall stiffness, and the transverse boning or st ffening elements 60 are suitably located by stitching them between the layer 62 and a layer 6| of cloth. The entire assembly is then covered by layers of cloth 64 to complete the construction.

The boning 60 makes the tail rigid which, at this point is necessary to prevent the tall 26 from shifting when the body is in motion and keeps the tail from wrinkling and thereby getting into the creases of the buttocks, thus causing discomfort.

As to the advantage of the tail over panties, any panties that are worn must be'pulled down from the waist thus disturbing whatever arments are worn such as a blouse, etc. and when pulled up again the outer garments must be adjusted. By providing the tail 26 with the snap fasteners 3i-33 located at the front it is quicker and easier to unfasten without disturbing the wearers outer garments. With my arrangement nothing at the waist line is disturbed which makes the operation easier and saves time. Panties with elastic around the leg impede blood circulation and all panties, snug or loose, shift or rid up and catch in the crease of thebuttocks, causing discomfort.

The tail 26 has the advantage that it is out high enough on the sides to eliminate seams showing asridges through snug outer garments such as tight skirts and slacks. The tail fits more arcane s snugly and gives protection in the crotch where .it is needed and doesn'thave the bulk of panties.

The inner construction of the shoulder pads II is one thickness of stitched felt on the inside and lambs wool on the outside which is steamed and compressed into shape ona mold. By compressing this lamb's wool andmoldins the pad to sha e, it always keeps its shape ,and the stuffing doesn't wad up or sink down.

A pad of this character is lighter which makes it more comfortable to'wear. The stitched felt construction gives character and shape to'the pad but without that very still. look characteristic of many shoulder pads. The stitched'felt also has the necessary resiliency to comeback into shape no matter what is done to it or how many times it is laundered. It 'also washes without shrinking, stretching or'waddingup and never loses the stiffness necessary to make shoulder pads look natural and feel comfortable at all times. Preferably the outside of the pad is covered with silknn the bias with the bottom cover stretchedrfiore tightly than the top one to give the pad the desired curvature :over the. shoulder and the bottom and top covers are bound together around the inner pad. 4

The shoulder extensions are similar to the shoulder pads but they omit the wool wedding. If desired, they may be made of two thicknesses of .stitched felt to increase the stiffness. They are shaped and bound on the edges after being covered with a piece of bias silk on top and an,-

other piece of bias silk underneath the pad, the underpiece being pulled tighter than the top piece. They extend the shoulders in a natural way without giving the raised, appearance resulting from the use of conventional shoulder pads.

By having the shoulder extensions or Pads attached to the foundation garment a more natural look results than when pads are worn attached inside outer garments. One set of pads serves for all occasions, instead of having a set in each outer garment, and the degree of padding is adjustable by using either the shoulder extensions or the shoulder pads as desired. Furthermore, extensions or pads attached to the foundation garment are more comfortable to wear and stay in place better than when at.- tached inside outer garments. By using the particular stitched felt construction referred to the extensions or pads keep their shape no matter how many times they are washed or cleaned and look natural throughout their life.

The garters it and 48 are attachable or dotachable as desired by the snap fasteners 41 and it, respectively. In this way they can be removed when not needed or if the garment is to be washed they can be removed to preserve the elastic.

Also worn garters can be readily detached and a new set bought and attached in their place. Since the garters are attached to an ali-ln-one garment they hold the stockings up much more securely and do not twist the hose as do garters on a garter belt or foundation garment that doesn't come from the shoulders. In this respect the reinforcing strips 34 and 44 transmit the pull of the garters directly to the shoulders without undue strain on the garment in general.

The tabs 65 and 65a sewn to the rear and front tails 2t and M furnish a means for ready attachment of a catamenial napkin thus eliminating the need for a napkin supporting belt. The rubberized or plastic insert 66 eliminates the necessity of wearing extra garments during menstruation to protect the outer garments. Also the insert 68 makes it possible to sponge 01! only this section of the tail where it soils so quickly without necessity of laundering the entire garment until necessary. The result is a considerable saving in time and effort and a high saving in the cost of laundering the entire garment when only a portion thereof is soiled Additionally by having the tail 2 detachable at the zipper 2! it may be replaced when desir which makes for greater convenience.

The shadow skirt 12 together with the body B of the garment takes the place of a slip and permits skirts of different colors and different lengths to be used to'meet various style needs -without the necessity of having a complete slip for each such need. When not needed, the shadow skirt can be removedjand the rest of the garment only used. Since the shadow skirt extends fromthe waist only, it can be made at less cost than a slip and is less bulky to wear.

From the foregoing specification it will be obvious that I have provided a garment which is truly a "foundation" type of wearing apparel. It includes a body portion to which all the 'various elements needed for wear with the exception of an outer dress are either attached or form a part of the garment itself.

Many of the parts are interchangeable and/or replaceable for the purpose of meeting various style needs and for maximum convenience in keeping the garment and its various accessories properly laundered.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my foundation garment without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

'1. In a foundation garment of the character disclosed, a body portion formed of fabric or the like, said body portion covering the torso and having its sides converging toward their lower ends, a c oth crotch portion having its rear end connected with the lower edge of the back of the garment and its front end detachably connected to the lower edge of the front of the garment, said crotch portion having an insert of stitched felt and being provided with laterally elongated stiffening strips at intervals along the crotch portion, said crotch portion having spaced tabs secured thereto to which a caamenial napkin may be connected, and a moistureproof liner in said crotch portion between said tabs.

2. In a foundation garment. a body portion formed of fabric-like material, said body portion covering the torso, and a cloth crotch portion having its ends connected with the lower edges of said body portion. said crotch portion being provided with lateral stiffening strips spaced at intervals therealong and substantially throughout that portion thereof which extends between the legs of the wearer.

3. A foundation garment. comprising a body portion and a cloth crotch portion, said crotch portion having its rear end connected with the lower edge of the back of said body portion and its front end detachably connected to the lower edge of the front of the garment, said crotch portion havlng'an insert of stitched felt in that portion thereof which passes between the legs of the wearer, which prevents wrinkling thereof and maintains its original stiffness after washinc.

4. In a foundation garment, a body portion formed of fabric or the like and covering the torso and including breast covering portions, a cloth crotch portion connected at its front and rear ends to the lower edges of the front and back of the garment, the breast covering portions of said garments incorporating stitched felt positioned to underlie the breasts of the wearer and to serve as stiffened brassiere base elements.

- 5. In a foundation garment, a body portion covering the torso and including breast covering portions. a cloth crotch portion having its ends connected with the lower edges of the front and back of said body portions, said crotch portion having an insert of stitched felt in that portion thereof which passes between the legs of the wearer and being further provided with lateral stiffening strips spaced therealong, the breast covering portions of said garment incorporating stitched felt positioned to underlie the breasts of the wearer as stin'ened brassiere base elements.

HERMINE GOLDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

